「 The house they shared was filled with the faint buzz of electronics and the hum of the ceiling fan. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, slicing the dusty air into stripes. 118o8 was sprawled on the couch, legs crossed, scrolling lazily through her fr3sh_gui, while 007n7 sat in his usual armchair, tapping at a smaller device that blinked occasionally with green code. Noli had left about thirty minutes ago to grab food—his glitchy voice still echoing faintly in 007n7’s memory. 」

「 118O8 」: “He better not be taking forever again. Last time, he brought back cold fries.”

「 007N7 」: “Cry about it. You’re lucky he brings anything back at all. Dude’s literally a god, not a delivery service.”

「 She sat up, flicking her pink hair over one shoulder with a scoff. At that moment, 118o8 was mid-rant about how the moon had to be made of cheese—」

「 118O8 」: “Because it just makes sense, 007. You can’t tell me it doesn’t. The color, the shape—it’s cheese!”

「 007N7 」: “Yeah, sure, and I bet you think the sun’s a fried egg too. You sound ridiculous.”

「 She rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible. 」

「 118O8 」: “You’re such a buzzkill, I swear. No imagination whatsoever.”

「 He smirked, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed. 」

「 007N7 」: “Imagination doesn’t mean believing the moon’s a damn cheese wheel, ice cream-head.”

「 118O8 」: “Watch it, burger boy. At least I can pull off pink better than you can pull off… whatever that is.”

「 He glanced down at his outfit—black nail polish, layered bracelets, smug expression still intact. 」

「 007N7 」: “It’s called having taste. Something you lost around the same time you started wearing a cone as a hat.”

「 118O8 」: “Says the guy who thinks sarcasm counts as a personality.”

「 They glared for a second… then broke into quiet laughter. That was just how they worked—sass first, care later. But mid-laugh, 118o8 suddenly paused. A spark of mischief flashed in her eyes. 」

「 118O8 」: “Hold up. Don’t move.”

「 007n7 froze mid-sip of his drink, brow raised. 」

「 007N7 」: “Oh, here we go again.”

「 118o8 ignored him, hopping off the couch. She flipped open her fr3sh_gui with a practiced flick, the soft hum of code filling the air. Pixels shimmered, folding and unfolding in a dazzling ripple. When the light faded, she wasn’t just 118o8 anymore—she was her upgraded, perfected version. 」

「 Her swirl gleamed with a light drippy vanilla sheen, glossy and cool, glowing faintly beneath the afternoon light. Her outfit shifted too—colors flowing into a soft gradient that looked almost ethereal. The guest topper from Yola caught the light just right, polished and flawless. She tilted her head, lips pulling into a smug grin. 」

「 118O8 」: “Well? How do I look?”

「 He stared for a long second, trying to mask the brief flicker of surprise. Then, in classic 007n7 fashion, his smirk returned full-force. 」

「 007N7 」: “You look… like you’re trying too hard.”

「 Her eyes narrowed playfully. 」

「 118O8 」: “Excuse me?”

「 007N7 」: “You heard me. Overdressed, over-polished, over… whatever. You look like an ad for yourself.”

「 118O8 」: “Wow. And yet you still can’t stop staring.”

「 That shut him up. He glanced away, feigning disinterest as he fiddled with his bracelets. 」

「 007N7 」: “Please. I’ve seen better.”

「 She laughed, stepping closer until she was standing right in front of him, the faint scent of vanilla sugar drifting between them. He didn’t look up, but she could see the corner of his mouth twitch. He was fighting a smile—and losing. 」

「 118O8 」: “Sure you have, tough guy.”

「 Her tone was teasing, soft but sharp enough to make him glance up. Their eyes met for a moment too long. The air felt heavier somehow—charged, quiet. 118o8 leaned back, pretending not to notice. She perched herself on the armrest beside him, arms crossed, a sly grin lingering on her lips. 」

「 118O8 」: “You’re awfully quiet now, 007. Lost for words, or just mad I look better in your lighting?”